


Missing From My Life

by merlins_sister



Category: NCIS
Genre: Episode Related, F/M, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-28
Updated: 2011-09-28
Packaged: 2017-10-24 03:21:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/258365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merlins_sister/pseuds/merlins_sister
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Abby greets Tony.  Coda for S1 episode 'Missing'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Missing From My Life

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Susan217 for betaing.

Tony sniffed at his shirt. The smell of slime, dankness and death permeated it. Not surprising, but unsettling none the less. He couldn't wait to get home and take a shower, and clean his clothes. Make that burn his clothes. He didn't think he'd ever want to see them again. But Kate said Abby wanted to see him, and, although he would never admit it, he found it hard to deny Abby anything. So here he was in the elevator on the way to her lab. Smelling.

Stepping into the lab he found it uncharacteristically quiet. No thrash metal, no heavy rock. It was a little unnerving. Walking into Abby's office he found her working at her desk, or possibly surfing the net, it was never easy to tell, and quite often the same thing.

"Hey Abs," he said as walked closer to her.

Her head went up at his voice, the computer forgotten as she ran to him. Wrapping her arms tight around him, she almost sent Tony flying backwards. He laughed and was about to say something about women throwing themselves at him when he realised she was shaking.

Conflicting emotions ran through him. Concern about Abby, but also pleasure at the thought she'd missed him, had been worried about him. Was it wrong to be pleased about that? He dismissed the thought from his mind as he forced concern and gallantry to the fore. Wrapping his arms around her, and resting his head on hers, he started to softly whisper his comfort.

"It's okay," he soothed. "I'm okay. Everything's all right. Shh." He realised he had started to rock her, a concept that struck him as somewhat surreal. The thought that Abby should need such comforting, especially over him. Again he felt a rush of confused pleasure at the thought she cared this much about him, and could show it. Unlike the others. He knew they cared really. Just wish they would show some sign. At least McGee had seemed happy to see him, even if the younger agent had been using his desk.

He pulled his mind back to the women in his arms. She was starting to still, her hold on him loosening. Almost reluctantly he followed suit, dropping his arms from her as she stepped back. She seemed to be catching her breath, gathering her thoughts, before she could speak to him. Her head turned up and her brilliant green eyes locked with his. And for a moment he could see how vulnerable Abby could be, how her emotions sometimes went deeper than she would admit. He could almost feel himself gasping for breath, when the moment was over, and eveyday Abby was back. With a punch. On his arm.

"Ow!" he cried. "What's that for?"

"That is for not listening to me about going off by yourself."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, rubbing his arm to take the sting away.

"I told you not go off by yourself."

"No you didn't" Tony replied, still somewhat confused at the turn of events.

"But I told Kate and Gibbs," Abby insisted. "Didn't they tell you?"

Tony paused, remembering Gibbs warning about keeping his 'six' close by. "Sort of."

"And you didn't listen to them. You still went off accepting drinks from strange women. Didn't your parents ever warn you about that?"

"She was the waitress, Abby."

"Hmph," Abby replied. Fixing him with a playfully stern look she continued, "Even so, don't do it again."

Tony smiled. "Whatever you say, Abs."

"And promise me that in the future you'll do whatever I tell you to."

Tony paused. Smiling more broadly at the playful innuendo that Abby had managed to inflict in her last statement he replied, "You know your wish would always be my command."

Abby's smile spread. "Good."

Tony shook his head before asking, "So, did you just want to see me in order to hit and berate me?"

"No, though that has been kind of fun," she smiled back. "I actually wanted to show you my finished model of Gallipoli, as you were the only person who truly seemed to appreciate the effect I was going for."

"Then lead on."

Tony crouched next to Abby as she led him through the key elements of her representation, including the answer to that all important questions he'd asked the previous day; which ones were the Turks and which ones were the ANZACs. Nodding his approval Tony said, "You done good, Abs."

"Thank you."

He turned to look at her and found her attention already focused on him. The look wasn't everyday Abby though. She was looking like she needed to say something. Tony sat and waited, for once silence seeming the only thing he could offer.

Eventually she said, "You are one of the few constants in my life, Tony."

She didn't need to say more.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said softly, reaching over to rub her back, pausing when he got a whiff from his shirt. "Except maybe to change my clothes."

Abby smiled. "Are you going to burn them?"

"Probably. I don't think even the best detergent is going to get rid of some of these stains." He looked down at himself.

"Shame. That shirt looks good on you."

"Kate says it's out of fashion."

"Doesn't matter what other people say, as long as you like it, Tony."

Tony looked back up at her, for a moment wondering if there was another hidden message in that last comment. The green eyes met his steadily, unreadable again for the moment.

"You are a wise woman, Abby Sciutto," he said finally.

"And don't you ever forget it," she returned.

Somehow, he didn't think he would.


End file.
